William Penn Life, 2000 (35. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

2000-04-01 / 4. szám

THE DERI MUSEUM - DEBRECEN

interrupted by the Reformed Great Church, distinguished by its twin bell towers. Next to it lies the Reformed College with its rows of Ionic columns.

A great fire destroyed the town at the beginning of the century. The college of the Great Church was rebuilt in neoclassic style. Designed by Mihály Pechy, a military engineer, both buildings stand out as valuable examples of early Hungarian classicism.

The Deri Museum, one of the most comprehensive provincial museums in Hungary, was founded in 1902 by the industrialist Frigyes Deri. His collection, presented to the museum, consists of works of art and articles of everyday use of Egyptian, Greco- Roman and Asian origin, as well as European and Hungarian works of art. Several manuscripts and other relics in the museum preserve the memory of great personalities of Hungarian literature who lived in Debrecen or who started their careers there, including Mihály Csokonai Vitéz, Endre Ady and Árpád Tóth.

Among the museums important collections is its collection of folk art, which contains several thousand items. The archeological collection

includes prehistoric finds. The museum also houses objects dating from the periods of the great migration and the Hungarian Conquest. Then there is the collection of objects and garments found in late medieval cemeteries, 16th and 17th century jewelry and a wide range of objects connected with the life of guilds.

Other items in the ethnographical collection include those related to animal husbandry from the Hortobágy Puszta, products of potters from Debrecen and Nádudvar and complete workshops of craftsmen, such as the tailors of szur (the embroidered felt coat worn by shepherds).

The department of fine arts contains examples of the work of 19th and 20th century Hungarian painters. It also houses a particularly important collection of the works of Ferenc Medgyessy, the great Hungarian sculptor who was born in Debrecen. His allegorical statues were awarded a gold medal at the Paris World Exhibition in 1938. His work can be seen near the entrance of the building.

Among the paintings found at the museum is Munkacsy's "Ecce Homo" ("Here is the Man").

Enjoy your visit to this wonderful historical town. IffPlJ

We have your ticket to Debrecen

(and the rest of Hungary)

Now that you know a little bit about Debrecen, its historical importance and its world-class museums, how would you like to visit there? You can this fall as part of a WPA-sponsored tour to Hungary and Austria.

Debrecen and the Deri Museum are both on the itinerary for an exciting two-week excursion scheduled for Sept. 20 to Oct 4.

Along with Debrecen, you will visit Sopron, Fertőd, Sárvár, Győr, Pannonhalma, Godollo Eger, Kecskemet Miskolc, Kalocsa, the Tokaj wine region. Lake Balaton and Herend. The trip will begin with a two-night stay in Vienna, Austria, and conclude with a fivenight stay in Budapest.

The cost for the tour is $2,999 per person (based on double occupancy). The price includes roundtrip airfare from New York, all hotel accommodations, breakfast daily, most lunches and dinners, a cruise on the Danube River, a gala farewell dinner and much more.

For more information on booking your seats, call Fugazy International Travel at 1-800-828-10

Willi» feu Life, April 2000